Gloucester (TNB)
The RPI-209 Gloucester was a 5th-generation Knightmare Frame originally designed and produced by the Holy Britannian Empire as a high performance close-combat unit. In TNB, however, the old frame is now retired and is only utilized in small numbers by the Black Knights as training units, with further production halted. The Gloucester is still actively used, however, for terrorists acts by the "Old Britannia" faction. 'Appearance' The same as the original in the anime. The coloring varies depending on the group. 'Description' Based on the Sutherland's basic design, the RPI-209 Gloucester was created as a high performance unit for exceptional pilots, with the emphasis on anti-Knightmare combat even more pronouced than with the Sutherland. Featuring enhanced hand-to-hand capabilities and improved speed and reaction time, the Gloucester used a large jousting lance as its main weapon in addition to standard Sutherland equipment and, to further draw into a medieval knight's motif, was occasionally draped in a cape. The lance incorporates a set of expanding prongs on four sides that makes possible to trap and disarm enemy weapons. Combined with the Gloucester's high mobility, this fearsome weapon can be used to penetrate right into an enemy Knightmare's cockpit, killing the pilot and preventing him from escaping via the standard ejection system. 'Armaments' ;*Slash Harken : The Slash Harken is the signature weapon of the Knightmare Frame, and is used by almost all KMF models. Originally introduced on the RPI-11 Glasgow, the Harkens are wire-guided projectiles with some form of anchor-like blunt object at its tip. They can be used in multiple ways varying from offensive to defensive, or as a means of transportation via anchoring them in an object, and retracting the cable. Like the Glasgow, the Gloucester is equipped with two Slash Harkens stored in its chest. ;*Assault Rifle : The Assault Rifle is the Gloucester's main long-range weapon, the same model used by the RPI-11 Glasgow. Essentially an enlargened version of a regular automatic rifle, the rifle's bullets can pierce through most buildings and objects, and several hits are usually enough to take out an enemy Knightmare. However, its bullets are ineffective against new energy shielding technology, such as the Blaze Luminous or Radiation Wave Shielding. The rifle is also equiped with a basic grenade launcher. ;*Chaos Mine : The Chaos Mine is a cylindrical air burst grenade that sprays deadly shrapnel over a small area. It is primarily used to take out multiple enemies at once; however, it is ineffective against new energy shielding technology, such as the Blaze Luminous or Radiation Wave Shielding. One Chaos Mine can be stored in each of the frame's hip compartments ;*Anti-Personnel Machine Gun : The Anti-Personnel Machine Gun is a low-caliber automatic gun that is sometimes mounted beneath the Gloucester's torso. Though it is ineffective against other Knightmare Frames, it serves well for taking out small vehicles or enemy groud troops. ;*Giant Cannon : This hand-held cannon is a long-range weapon sometimes used instead of the assault rifle. It is powerful enough to take out enemy Knightmares in one hit, but cannot fire consecutively and lacks the devasting power of newer 7th-generation weapons such as the VARIS rifle. ;*Jousting Lance : The Jousting Lance is a hand-held melee weapon first used by the RPI-209 Gloucester, which was designed according the the medieval motif of the Britannian military. Made using dense anti-armor materials, the lance can withstand attacks from newer weapons like the Maser Vibration Sword and is commonly used to pierce right through the torso of enemy Knightmares. ;*"Sattel Waffen" Missile Launcher : The "Sattel Waffen" is a basic missile launcher first used by the RPI-209 Gloucester. Each launcher has 6 missile tubes, and two launchers are equipped per frame, one on each side of the cockpit. ;*Sniper Rifle : This sniper rifle is a long-range weapon occasionally used by either the Sutherland or Gloucester. It fires powerful anti-armor bullets capable of piercing through most Knightmare armor, but cannot fire consecutively and requires a gun stand in order to aim properly. ;*Maser Vibration Sword : Occasionally, the Gloucester is equipped with two Maser Vibration Swords for certain commanders or ace pilots. These swords the same model as used by the original Lancelot, and are stored in sheaths mounted on the sides of the cockpit. 'History' At first, the first Gloucesters to be produced were given almost exclusively to ace pilots and renowned field commanders, with the Knights of Rounds and Cornelia's personal forces being the first to use them. Over time, however, the Gloucester came to replace the Sutherland as the mainstray of the Britannian military and was widely used by 2018. However, it was soon overshadowed, though not completely replaced, by Britannia's new 7th-generation frame, the RPI-212b Vincent Ward, which went into production at around the same time. After Britannia's entrance into the UFN, however, the Gloucester was quickly phased out of production as the Black Knights added the Vincent frames to their own main forces of Type-05 Akatsuki, thereby removing the need for any 5th-generation or below models. The remaining Gloucesters were either reconstructed for non-military purposes or turned into training units for Black Knight cadets. However, many Gloucesters are still used by ex-Britannian army pilots who defected to join the anti-UFN militias collectively known as the "Old Britannia" Faction, who use the older frame as a "symbol" of their dedication to Britannia's imperial and chilvaristic ideals. It is believed that these groups obtained their frames not only from the collapse of the former Britannian army, but also from black market military contractors who continue to produce the frame for money despite the ban on all military industry. 'Variants' *'X/RPI-209G Gloucester Gram' Category:Knightmare Frames Category:CG: The Neverending Battle